Bottle corking machine



(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. E'RMOLD. BOTTLE GORKING MACHINE.

No. 427,258. Patented ay 6, 1890.

(No Modl.) w 7 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' E. ERMOLDQ.

BOTTLE CORKING MACHINE.

No. 427,258. PatentedMay 6, 1890.

I 2 Q 0 0 06 g j C WITNESSES (No Model.) S I Y 7 Sheets -Sheet 3. E.ERMOLD. BOTTLE (JOB-KING MACHINE.

No. 427,258. v Patented May 6, 1890.

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WITNESSES: INVENTOP ATTORNEYJ;

'7 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

L.v ERMOLD. BOTTLE OORKING MACHINE. No. 427,258. Patented May 6, 1890.

i a? 2 Q 1. 3 S; 7 J J g s "MUM nl l (No Model.) Sheets-Sheet 5.

E. ERMOLD. BOTTLE GORK'ING MACHINE. I No. 427,258. Patented May 6, 1890.

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E. ERMOLD. BOTTLE GORKING MAOHINE. No. 427,258. Patented May 6,.1890.

W/T/VESSESE M/VE/VTGH g I awn/M4 (N0 Mddel.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 7.

E. ERMOLD. BOTTLE comma MAUHINE.

No. 427,258. Patented May 6, 1890.

WITNESSES: l/Vl/E/VTOR ATTORNEYJ.

bottle-corking machine.

ATENT FFICE.

EDWARD ERMOLD, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

BOTTLE-CORKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,258, dated May 6,1890.

Application filed May 1, 1889. Serial No. 309,298. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD ERMOLD, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Bottle-Corking Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to an improved bottle-corking machine which isdriven by power and operated in connection with a treadle whenever themachine is to be started for work, the release of the treadleinterrupting the machine; and the invention consists of a bottle-corkingmachine in which all the operative parts are driven by cams of acam-shaft, said cam-shaft being engaged by a clutch with thedriving-shaft whenever the treadle is lowered, so as to bring themachine in operation and released from said driving-shaft when thetreadle is released.

The elements of my corking-onachine are a cork-guiding chute, areciprocating squeezer guided below said tube, avertically-reciproeating plunger, a cork-supplying hopper provided withmeans for. feeding the corks into the feed-chute, anintermittently-actuated cork-arresting pin that stops the corks in thefeed-chute, so as to supply them snugly into the path of the squeezer,which presses the corks in the guidetube into the path of the plunger,and of a bottle-rest vertically below the cork-guide tube and plunger,said bottlerest being operated in connection. with the plunger, wherebysaid bottle-rest is held rigidly in position for forcing the cork intothe mouth of the bottle.

The invention consists further of certain details of construction andcombination of parts and details, as will be fully describedhereinafter, and finally be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a side elevation of myimproved Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same on line00 00, Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal sectional view of the same on theline e r, Fig. 2.

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are details of the clutch mechanism by which thecam-shaft of the machine is connected with the power-shaft. Fig. 8 is aside elevation of the mechanism for supporting the arrestingbottle-rest, drawn on a larger scale, parts being in section and othersbroken out. Fig. 9 is a detail horizontal section 011 liney 1 Fig. 8.Fig. 10 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the cork-arrestin gpin and squeezer. Fig. 11 is a top view of the squeezer with a partbroken out and the cork-chute in section. Fig. 12 is a front elevationof the squeezer, the cork guiding'and compressing tube being removed;and Figs. 13 and 14 are a vertical longitudinal section and a verticaltransverse section of the bottom throat of the hopper and feed-roller bywhich the'corks are fed in regular manner to the feed-chute.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A represents a bottle-sup port, which is placedvertically below the cork guiding and compressing tube B and thevertically-reciprocating plunger 0, that is guided in a fixedguide-sleeve 0 above the cork guidin g and compressing tube B. In theopen rear part of the cork guiding and compressing tube is arranged ahorizontally-reciprocating squeezer D.

The parts enunferated-namely, the bottle-rest, cork guiding tube,plunger, and SQUOGZGP-rllZtVG been used in different arran gements inbottle-corking machines heretofore, and I do not claim the combinationof these parts broadly. The new features of my machine, however, consistin operating the movable parts referred to from a power-shaft and insupplying the corks by an automatic feed, which forms the essentialindividual feature of my machine.

The automatic cork-feed consists of an in clincd cork-feeding chute E,which extends from the rear part of the cork-guiding tube B in upwarddirection to the'delivery end of a throat F at the bottom of asupply-hopper F, in which the wet corks are placed. The rear part of thethroat F is provided with an opening, in which is arranged a roller F,that is slightly concaved and provided with alternating teeth or fingersF on the circumference, so as to take hold of the corks fed or passingfrom the hopper into the throat and feed the same in downward directioninto the supply-chute E. The supply-chute is formed of a series ofparallel rods, which are supported by circular collars E at the top andbottom, the upper one being attached to the lower end of the throat F,while the lower one is attached to the wider rear part of the corkguiding and compressing tube B. These rods exert less friction on thecorks than glass or metal tubes, as the wet corks cannot adhere to thesame, and are readily fed in clownward direction to the squeezer.

At the lower part of the feed-chute is arranged a horizontallyreciprocating and spring-actuated shank or rod 6, carrying on its endthe cork-arresting pin G, which can enter between the rods of thefeed-chuteE and engage intermittently one of the corks in saidfeed-chute, so as to arrest the downward movement of the same until theone below the arresting-pin is dropped in front of the squeezer and fedby the same to the front part of the cork guiding and compressing tubeB. J

The cork gnidi'n g and compressing tube, the squeezer, andcork-arresting device are sup ported on the table A that is attached tothe top of the frame A, while a second table or platform A is supportedby standards a on the table A said platform A being provided with theguide-sleeve C for the plunger-rod C.

On the platform A are arranged upright standards A which are providedwith bearin gs for the feed-roller F of the supply-throat F, and saidstandards, in connection with the feed-tube E, support the feed-throatand its feed-roller F as shown in Figs. 2 and The camshaft S is providedwith two cams S and S the cam S operating the plunger,

while the cam S operates the squeezer D.

The plunger-rod C is connected by a pivotlink with the front end of afulcrumed lever 0 the rear end of which is connected by a pivot-linkwith the vertically-guided rod 0 which is provided on its lower end withan anti-friction roller resting on the cam S as shown in Fig. 2, andiskept in contact with the same bya spiral spring 0'', that is connectedwith an arm C, projecting from the rod 0 and to a transverse rod of thesupporting-frame A, as shown in Fig. 2.

The shank D of the squeezer D is guided in a suitable box (Z on thetable A and is provided at its rear end with an anti-friction roller inthe same manner as the plunger-operating rod 0 said roller being held in'contact with the cam S by a spiral spring S, scoured to the squeezerand to the guide-box (Z of the same.

011 the top of the guide-box of the squeezer is arranged a fixedguidcsleeve (P, in which is guided the shank or rod e of thecork-arresting pin G, which shank is provided with an adjustable collare between which and the sleeve d is interposed a spiral spring 6, bywhich the cork-arrestin g pin is moved in the direction toward thecork-chute E. The front end of the shank of the cork-arresting pin Gisguided in a fixed sleeve (2, supported on the top of a guide-frameG,which serves to steady the motion of the squeezer. The rear end of theshank e of the cork-arresting pin G is connected by a pivot-link g witha fulcrumed lever g, the lower end of which is engaged by a nose g atthe rear end of the shank D of the squeezer, as shown clearly in Figs. 2and 10. V hen the squeezer is moved forward,the nose engages the lowerend of the lever g, and thereby withdraws the shank of thecork-arresting pin, and thus also withdraws the pin G from thefeed-chute E, and permits the dropping of a cork below said pin throughthe collar E above the squeezer. As soon as the squeezer is released andreturned or moved backward 'by its spring 8', the cork-arresting pin Gis moved forward again by its spring a so as to enter the next followingcork and retain the entire column of corks in the feed-chute in positionuntil they can be fed in downward direction by the next forward motionof the squeezer. In this manner one cork after the other is fed in aregular and reliable manner to the squeezer and cork guiding andcompressing tube.

The squeezer D is provided with a T- shaped bar d at its rear end, saidbar being provided with guide-rods d, which are guided in openings ofthe transverse frame Grl The frame G is open at its middle part, so asto permit the passage of the squeezenshank.

The cork guiding and compressing tube B is wider at its rear part thanat its front, and is attached to the frame G. It is provided on itsunder side at its front part with a down- 'wardly-tapering segmentalflange Z), which forms arest for the bottle-neck, While the upper edgeof the bottle-mouth rests against an outwardly and downwardlyinclinedlip 11 of the tube B, which flange Z) and lip b form a flaring mouth, asshown clearly in Fig. 10.

The fulcrumed plunger-operating .lever C is connected by a pivot-rodwith a weighted lever H, pivoted to lugs A on the under side ofthebracket A of the machine-frame, The lever II is provided with a slotor opening H, into which a gripping-jaw H projects from the pivoted endof said lever, the end of which jaw is applied to the shank a of thebottlesupport A whenever the plunger begins its downward motion, so thatthe shank of the bottle-rest is engaged by said jaw and rigidly lockedby the same against the pressure exerted by the plunger. The more theplunger is lowered the stronger will the shank of the bottle-support begripped and the firmer the same be held in position against the pressureexerted on the same by the plunger. The shank a of the bottle-support Ais further engaged by the forked end of a fulcrumed and weighted leverI, which is pivoted to arms A of the lugs A said lever Z engaging afixed box a on the shank a, said box being provided with grooves in itssides, and which grooves have convex lips that are engaged by the convexends of the forked lever Z. The lever Z balances theweight of thebottlesupport and serves to lift the same as soon tion of the lever thebottle-mouth is pressed against the flanged lower end of the corkguiding and compressing tube B, and is thereby in a position forreceiving the cork.

The driving-shaft S is provided at one end.

with a fly-wheel M, which acts as a pulley, to

which the driving-belt is applied. The camshaft S, which is in line withthe drivingshaft S, is provided on its outer end with a disk M, againstwhich is pressed a springactuated brake-shoe M on the upper end of aspring-actuated rod M which form togethera brake by which the motion ofthe shaft S is steadied, so as to neutralize the concussions and shockswhich are exerted by the same on the squeezer and plunger. Thespring-actuated brake-rod M is guided in socket-sleeves of thesupporting-frame A, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. On the cam-shaft S'isalso located a pulley p, which by a cross-belt 19, passes over a pulleyp on the shaft of the feedroller F and serves to impart rotary motion tosaid feed-roller, as shown in Fig. l.

The connection of the cam-shaft S with the driving-shaft S, which latteris continuously rotated by the belt and fiy-wheel, is made by means of aclutch device which is shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7. This clutch device isoperated by a treadle T, which is pivoted to the lower part of thesupportingframe A and connected with a rod t, provided at the upper endwith a clutch mechanism. The treadle is guided by a stirrup t at thelower part of the frame A and returned to the raised position by aspiral spring 29. As soon as the treadle is released the spiral spring 6raises it and places the upper beveled end t of the rod 6 in suchposition as to press back the spring-actuated interlocking jaw m of onemember of the clutch and prevent it from engaging recesses m on the hubof the fiy-wheel M, which forms the other members of the clutch. As soonas the treadle is depressed and brought into its normal direction thebeveled upper end of the rod i is withdrawn, so that the spring-actuatedjaw m can engage the recesses m in the hub of the fly-wheel and producethereby the interlocking of the clutch members and the rotating of thecam-shaft S. As long as the treadle is depressed by the foot the workingparts of the corking-machine are operated, while the moment the treadleis released the motion of the cam-shaft is stopped, while the rotarymotion of the fly-wheel M and its shaft continues. In this manner theoperation of the corking-machine is quickly and easily interrupted orestablished and thereby the corking-machine fully in the control of theoperator.

The advantages of my improved corking machine are as follows:

First. Owing to the agitating-rollers in the supply-hopper of thecorking-machine, the

corks are fed in a regular'mannerin'to the feedchute of thecorking-machine, they being kept in continuous motion by said roller, soas not to stick to each other or the walls of the hopper. The cams onthe roller furthermore force one cork after the other into thefeedchute, so as to produce in connection with the reciprocatingarresting device the regular supply of one cork after another to thesqueezer and plunger.

Secondly. Owing. to the open form of the chute, the corks are always inview, so as to indicate whenever a new supply of corks is necessary.

Thirdly. The arresting device prevents in a simple and reliable mannerthe forward feeding of more than one cork at a time, as it arrests allthe corks in the feed-chute above the one dropped in front of thesqueezer. As soon as the arresting device is released another cork ispermitted to drop, while the e11- tire column of corks above the saidone is fed downward until the lowermost cork is stopped again by thearresting device.

Fourthly. The bottle-supporting device is so arranged that in case ofmore than an ordi-- nary pressure the bottle-platform yieldssufficiently to prevent the bursting of the bottle, by whichconsiderable damage is experienced by the power bottling-machineheretofore in use.

Fifthly. By the clutch device the corkingmachine can be interrupted atany moment or started again by the simple operation of the treadle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In a bottle-corking machine, the combination of abottle-compressing tube, a reciprocating plunger adapted to worktherein, a bottle-support provided with a shank, a frame having anopening in which said shank rises and falls, a pivoted weighted leverbelow said frame and connected by a rod with an oscillating leverattached to the reciprocating plunger, and a second weighted pivot-edlever having one end engaging a fixed box onthe shank of thebottle-support.

2. In a bottle-corking machine, the combination, with abottle-supporting platform, of

a counter-balancing weighted lever engaging the shank or stem of saidplatform, a forked and pivoted lever provided with a jaw that can engagethe shank of the platform, a reciprocating plunger, and a vertical rodconnecting the operating-lever of the plunger with the above-mentionedlever provided with the jaw, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a fixed cork-guiding tube having a flaring mouthformed on its bottom, a bottle-supporting platform vertically below saidtube, a vertically-reciprocating plunger above said cork-guiding tube, aweighted balancinglever connected to the shank of the bottle-platform, apivoted locking-jaw engaging said shank, a weighted lever connected withthe locking-jaw, and a rod connecting the jaw-operating lever with aplunger-operating lever, so as to produce the locking of thebottle-platform in position when the plunger is raised, substantially asset forth.

4. The combination, in abottle-corking inaohine, of an actuatingcam-shaft having cams for Working the different parts of the machine, abrake-Wheel at one end of the shaft, anda spring-actuated brake appliedto said brake- Wheel for the purpose of neutralizing the concussions ofthe cams and operating parts, substantially as set forth.

5. In a bottle-corking machine, the combi-

